The CMG negotiating team, supported by an 87.3 % strike mandate, returned to the bargaining table this week. We have continued our discussions with the Corporation on two of our most challenging issues ? employment status and job evaluation.

It’s an important time as this week marks the end of the official conciliation period, which ends Sunday and will be followed by the 21 day cooling-off period. The two sides have agreed to mediation beginning Monday and continuing until a deal is reached.

The Minister of Labour has appointed a second officer, Arnie Powers, to assist the two sides to get a deal. Powers has considerable experience as a conciliator and mediator in several previous rounds of negotiations with the Corporation. He is familiar with the issues and with the work we do. This week, he joined the other conciliator, Jennifer Webster, who has been working with the parties since the beginning of June.

At this stage, we are unable to report any progress on the critical issue of employment status. The Corporation already has significant flexibility in the way it can hire staff and has yet to explain what it needs that it cannot do under the existing collective agreements. We have reaffirmed that we will not accept a proposal with the sole purpose of making it easier for the Corporation to get rid of its employees.

As for job evaluation, we have identified and corrected a number of problems and continue to work our way through the outstanding issues. We also exchanged proposals on work week, days off and shifts.

The cooling off period ends at midnight August 14. At that point we enter into an open period where either party can call a job action with 72 hours notice.

Your bargaining committee:
Arnold Amber, Toronto
Pierre Claveau, Vancouver
Brendan Elliott, Charlottetown
Percy Hatfield, Windsor
Joe Hill, Toronto
Wendy Hunt, Toronto
Gerry Jones, Regina
Barbara Saxberg, Toronto
Lee Siemon, Toronto
Chris Turner, Fredericton
Rick Warren, Vancouver
Dan Oldfield, Senior CMG staff representative